Kapitel 32: Chapter 31: League Interrogation.
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(Jon's P.O.V)
-Early morning-
The cold steel chair pressed hard against my back as I sat in a secure room at Mount Justice.
A one way mirror occupied the The thick walls, lined with dull gray and dusty panels, indicating it hadn't been used in quite some time.
That and the attention on me, seemed to make the room close in, the air carrying the weight of unspoken judgment.
Across the table sat a row of League members—Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Red Tornado, and my father, now healed up-watching me like I was a criminal awaiting sentencing.
Behind a glass partition, my team stood tense as they watched the interrogation/trial. Judging by his body language, Robin was pissed. I could just imagine the glare he was sending my way.
Can't blame him really.
Shutting off X-ray vision, I returned my attention to the center of the League panel.
Dad sat with an expression I couldn't decipher. His eyes held a softness that the others lacked, but there was something else there, too. Regret? Disappointment? Hurt? The ambiguity gnawed at me.
"Let's start with why you infiltrated LexCorp," Batman said, his gravelly voice breaking the silence.
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "I wanted to send a message. To make Luthor understand he needs to stay away from Connor."
"And the Phantom Zone projector?" Wonder Woman asked, her tone piercing yet calm, her gaze locked onto mine.
I glanced at the device lying on the table next to Batman. Its sleek, metallic frame gleamed faintly under the harsh lights.
Guess they found out what it was. But how? My guess was on Grandpa Jo-rel.
"It was leverage," I replied evenly. "I wanted him to know I had a way to deal with him if he crossed the line again."
"Leverage," Batman repeated, leaning forward slightly. "What exactly did you plan to do with it, Jon?"
I shrugged, doing my best to sound nonchalant. "I considered using it. But I didn't. That should count for something, right?"
Dad shifted in his seat, his cape brushing against the floor. "Jon, you could've come to us," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "What I told you was the truth. We have been building a case against Luthor for years. This isn't something you needed to handle alone."
My jaw clenched.
"Building a case?" I echoed, familiar bitterness lacing my words.
"You've been 'building a case' since before I was born. What's changed, Dad? Nothing. He's still out there! As a Matter of fact, Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, Cheetah...they're ALL STILL OUT THERE, ruining lives, running amok. You all have your hands tied, so I did what you couldn't. Or tried to at least, which is more than you can say."
Black Canary shook her head, brows knitting together. "Jon, that's not how justice works. We don't take shortcuts, no matter how justified they might seem."
I couldn't help but scoff at the bare faced excuse. "Justice? Is that what you call it? You let monsters like Luthor walk free because it's easier to follow rules than to actually protect people."
"Enough," Batman interjected, his voice sharp and commanding. It cut through my rising frustration like a blade. "We're not here to debate the League's methods. We're here to determine whether your actions pose a threat to yourself, your team, or the people we're sworn to protect."
I glared at him, but I kept my mouth shut.
The questioning dragged on, each member of the panel taking turns picking apart my actions.
Batman pressed for details about my plan. Wonder Woman probed my moral reasoning. Green Arrow, ever the cynic, tossed in quips about reckless youth.
I held my ground until it happened. Until they let me speak.
"I wasn't just protecting Connor from Luthor," I said quietly, my voice steady despite the weight of what I was about to reveal. "I was protecting him from himself."
The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to choke on. Dad looked away, guess he and Batman decided to keep that to themselves.
"What do you mean by that?" Wonder Woman asked, her tone cautious.
I took a deep breath, my gaze drifting to the partition where Connor stood. His fists clenched at his sides.
"Connor's mind is still... influenced by Cadmus's programming," I admitted. "Miss Martian has been helping him, but it's a slow process. The wrong trigger, and..."
I let the sentence hang, the implication clear.
Black Canary's expression hardened. "You knew this and kept it from us?"
"Yes," I said bluntly. "Because I didn't trust you to handle it the right way. Besides, two of you already knew."
The smirk directed at Pa and Bats was full of satisfaction. Was it cool to throw them under the bus like that? Yes. Because it exposed the double standards inherent in the Justice League: Do what I say, not what I do.
Superman flinched, guilt flickering across his face. Batman, however, remained unmoved. "You're saying you took matters into your own hands because you didn't trust the League?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," I shot back. "You care more about your image than about the people who need you. My team? We're not perfect, but we look out for each other. And if that means sneaking into a supervillain's lair in the middle of the night to handle business, so be it."
--
Before anyone could respond, a soft beep came from Superman's earpiece.
"Yes, J'onn?"
He pressed a hand to it, listening intently.
"What is it?" Wonder Woman asked, her eyes narrowing.
Superman's face paled. "Lex Luthor has been assassinated."
"Oh...now that's some good news."
A chuckle left me.
The room erupted into chaos. Batman immediately brought up surveillance footage on the console, rewinding street cameras near LexCorp Tower.
The scene played out in grainy detail: A frantic Luthor stepping into his limo, the explosion that tore it apart, the panicked bystanders scattering.
Batman's eyes narrowed as he studied the feed.
"The cameras closest to LexCorp were altered an hour before the explosion," he muttered. "Someone knew exactly what they were doing."
---
The League's focus shifted, their voices overlapping as they debated the implications of Luthor's death.
Who could have done it? What would it mean for Metropolis? For the world?
I stayed silent, my expression neutral despite the small smile playing at the corners of my lips.
"Jon," Batman said suddenly, his gaze locking onto mine. "The timing of this assassination is too coincidental. You were at LexCorp. You had the means."
"I didn't kill him," I said firmly, holding his gaze without flinching.
"But you wanted to," Green Arrow interjected, his tone laced with skepticism.
"That doesn't mean I did it. Just that wish I was the one who did." I snapped, my frustration bubbling to the surface.
Superman rose from his chair, his tone commanding yet calm. "Jon's telling the truth. I followed him to LexCorp. He never even touched Luthor."
Despite his reassurance, the tension in the room remained palpable.
Wonder Woman glanced between me and the rest of the League, her expression thoughtful but grave. "Until we know more, he needs to be monitored. This situation is too volatile to ignore."
The decision came swiftly. I was to remain in custody at Mount Justice under the watchful eyes of Red Tornado. All eyes turned to me after Batman announced it.
"I'll comply," I said flatly, rising from my seat. "Not like I have a choice, right?"
I could feel Dad's eyes on me as Red Tornado gestured for me to follow. As we exited the room, I caught a glimpse of my team in the hallway.
I winked at Robin and he gave a curt nod, stopping Connor from intervening. Plan B was a go.
(General P.O.V)
As soon as Jon was escorted to a chamber strong enough to hold him, the League left to investigate the details surrounding Luthor's death.
At the hallway, they were stopped by Jon's Team.
Robin stepped forward, his voice sharp and unwavering. "You can't keep him here. Jon hasn't done anything wrong."
Batman's expression was as unreadable as ever. "This isn't about punishment. It's about precaution. We can't ignore the possibility of—"
Connor pushed past Robin, his voice rising with barely contained anger. "If Jon did anything, it's because of me! If you need someone to blame, blame me!"
Superman flinched visibly at Connor's words, but he didn't say anything.
"This is bigger than either of you," Batman replied coldly. "Your entire team is under suspicion for involvement in the Intergang heist three nights ago. Until we've ruled that out, you're all benched. Don't push me, Connor."
Connor stared at him for a moment, his jaw tightening. Then he turned and stormed off, his shoulders tense with anger. Miss Martian hesitated briefly before following him.
Robin crossed his hands, gaze locked onto his mentor. "You know this is a mistake. Jon is powerful enough to leave anytime he wants, so what's the point?"
Batman's eyes narrowed. "The chamber Red Tornado took him to was designed to hold beings as powerful as Superman. It's lined with red solar radiation, slowly draining his abilities without harming him. He's not going anywhere unless we allow it."
"Then what happens when we break him out?" Robin challenged, his voice low and dangerous.
Batman stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, almost as if on cue, the Zeta Tube activated behind them.
"Recognized: Speedy. A-08."
The familiar figure of Speedy—now Red Arrow—stepped out, his face grim and his bow slung across his back.
"Great," Kid Flash muttered, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Just what we need—another babysitter."
"Red Tornado and Red Arrow will be on watch. Do not make this worse than it already is."
Batman said as the League left.
Robin watched them go, his gaze flicking briefly to the Phantom Zone projector that Wonder Woman carried.
Without a word, boy wonder slipped into the shadows, disappearing from view.
(Jon's P.O.V)
Barely ten minutes after getting grounded in a red solar cell, a familiar sensation washed over me—the faint ripple of magic.
I turned toward the source just as Raven stepped through a dark portal into the room.
"You're right on time," I said, rising to my feet.
She crossed her arms, her expression calm but firm. "Are you sure about this?"
"Plan A's dead," I replied, walking toward her. "Plan B is already underway. We just need to do our part."
She hesitated for a moment before nodding, opening another portal that shimmered with dark energy.
Together, we stepped through, emerging on the rocky cliff at the top of Mount Justice. The cool night air hit my face, and I turned to her.
"Did you bring it?" I asked.
She nodded again, reaching into her cloak. "Everything you asked for."
"Good," I said, shakily lifting off the ground. My powers were still weak from the red solar radiation, but they were returning slowly under the morning sun. "We don't have time to waste. Blüdhaven's waiting."
With one final glance at Mount Justice, we disappeared into the night, leaving behind the fractured trust of the League and the unspoken questions of my team.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein